Socotri Culture, Villages and Language
A language with no written tradition, a herding system with its own legal vocabulary, and a poetry contest. The island's people are the part most itineraries skip.
Soqotri is a Modern South Arabian language. It is not a dialect of Arabic and is not mutually intelligible with it, and it survived largely without a written tradition, carried instead in poetry and oral memory. It is spoken by most of the island's population and is one of the most distinctive things about the place.
The herding culture is equally particular. Socotri pastoralists developed a system for managing grazing on a fragile island, with its own vocabulary for closing and opening pasture, and it is one reason the endemic vegetation survived as long as it has. Much of the interior is still worked this way.
Visitors mostly meet this in passing: a village on the way to a canyon, a family at a camp, a herd on the road. Ask your operator to build in time rather than assuming it will happen. Dress modestly, ask before photographing anyone, and be aware that Socotra is a conservative Muslim society.
Top-rated across Socotra
Frequently asked questions
What language do people speak?
Soqotri, a Modern South Arabian language distinct from Arabic and not mutually intelligible with it. Arabic is also widely spoken, and guides generally speak English.
Can I photograph people?
Ask first, every time. Photographing women without explicit permission is not acceptable. Many of the best archive photographs of Socotri people cannot be used commercially for exactly this reason.
What should I wear?
Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees for all genders. Socotra is a conservative Muslim society, and this matters more in villages than at a remote camp.
Is there anything to buy?
Very little is produced for tourists. Dragon's blood resin and honey are the usual items. Cash is the only option, in US dollars, since there are no working ATMs or card facilities.